Ayer Kuning: Nineteen-year-old student Ahmad Saufi Mhd Roslan admits to having mixed feelings about fulfilling his responsibility in the Ayer Kuning state by-election at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Lesong here today. The Sungai Petani Institut Kemahiran Mara (IKM) Diploma of Furniture Production student, who arrived at the polling station at about 7.30 am, said he was initially nervous about voting.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Saufi was both nervous and excited about voting for the first time. He expressed a desire to have participated in previous elections, having watched his family members vote in the past. After casting his ballot, Ahmad Saufi felt a sense of relief and joy in exercising his right to choose an elected representative.

Ahmad Saufi, who resides in Kampung Sungai Lesong, was accompanied by his father, Mhd Roslan Ghazali, 52, to the polling centre. He mentioned returning to his hometown on Thursday specifically to vote and planned to return to the Sungai Petani IKM the same afternoon.

Meanwhile, Mhd Roslan shared a personal story about his voting experience. Having lost his index finger in a work accident in 2006, he used his little finger to dip into the ink. He expressed excitement about taking his son to vote and planned to send him back to Sungai Petani after lunch.

The Ayer Kuning by-election was necessitated by the death of its incumbent, Ishsam Shahruddin, on February 22 due to a heart attack. The election features a three-cornered contest between Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir, Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Abd Muhaimin Malek, and Bawani KS from Parti Sosialis Malaysia.